Tax Credit

[user1469001341]

Has anyone had their tax credit reduced without warning? Received an odd payment today and when I called they said next months payments would be reduced by £200??

Plots thickens! So with no change to my wages or circumstances my payments are dropping by £136 per month????

Do you have a child that is turning 16 or has turned 16 recently by any chance?

I do but she's staying on at school and they know this as I told them months ago and I was told my tax credits will continue till September 2018. They said that basically the government is giving out less tax credits to it'll happen to everyone, cuts in payments.

That's odd because I thought all the proposed cuts in tax credits that were going to take place from April 2016 had been scrapped now? Have you checked one of the benefit calculaters to see if you are getting the right amount.

They have all my salary details so I'm sure it's right. He was was adamant that everyone will see cuts. Said the government aren't handing out as much as they did, like I'm some sort of sponger! I work I just don't get paid a lot.

There definately were plans to significantly cut tax credits but they were scrapped. Maybe the government are going ahead with them again, but I have read nothing in the press recently about this,. I also read the netmums money section and the martins money saving sites and have not seen large numbers of people complaining about their tax credits being cut when there are no chnages in their circumstances. Personally I suspect that the person you got on the phone didn't know what he was talking about. If it were me I would ring back and speak to someone else. It seems much more likley to me that your information regarding your child staying in education has not been updated. Hope you manage to get it sorted.

There was a threshold change to do with working tax credit and rise in min wage.

We used to get working tax credits, but they stopped without warning last year. Since april we have received less tax credits, without us earning appreciably more. They must have cut the amount they give you.

I'm a single mum on a low income, it's a bit of a joke as I would get more benefits if I didn't work at all? Not much of a incentive to work? My daughter has just turned 16 but is still in full time education. I have been told my tax credits will continue while this is the case just wasn't told they would decrease. My income hasn't changed.

Op if you didn't work you would just get job seekers allowance ( assuming your children are over 5 years old) and child tax credits. I can't imagine that would be more than working ? Do you pay rent, have you checked whether you can get help from housing benefit ?

Has your income recently risen with the introduction of NLW in April? If so, they will be using Real Time Info and adjusting your TC entitlement accordingly.

No my income wasn't affected

What will you do when she does leave education if you can't survive on what you earn? It's Something to consider.

I'm at college in the evenings doing at HNC to widen my job prospects. I only ever did this job as it fitted in around my daughter, i get the school holidays off and needed them when she was younger. That's changing now so I'll be looking for a job with more hours hence more money :)

So today I get a letter saying my council tax reduction is being taken away as a result of my tax credits going DOWN?? So no change of increase in my income but less tax credit and more council tax to pay? So my overall 'income' is way down. Second job for me I think :(

Do you get housing benefit? You might find that goes up.

Have you had an overpayment at some time in the past? Could they be clawing that back?
It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the government have found a way of reducing TC's on the quiet.

They've always had my up today's income so if there's been any mistake or over payment it's been their fault?? I always hand in the paper work and they calculate it?? Even the woman on the phone couldn't explain it??